


Some Kind of Poem

by rockethop



Category: Parks and Recreation
Genre: Comfort, F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-06
Updated: 2020-07-06
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:34:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25102507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rockethop/pseuds/rockethop
Summary: Ben and Leslie share a quiet moment at the lake after Leslie's been recalled. Based heavily on the lyrics of Mitski's 'Texas Reznikoff'.
Relationships: Leslie Knope/Ben Wyatt
Comments: 5
Kudos: 27





	Some Kind of Poem

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ugly](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ugly/gifts).



> A ficlet heavily inspired by the lyrics of Mitski's 'Texas Reznikoff' because Zi had requested that someone write a fic based off of it. I hope I did it justice. ♥

“Ben,” Leslie whispers. They’re laying on a grassy knoll in upstate Indiana, the breeze from the nearby shoreline of Lake Michigan blowing their hair backward.

“Yeah?” He responds, his face the color of honey in the setting sun.

“Thank you,” she says.

She had spiraled. She spiraled - hard. She was voted out of office by the town that she loves more than anything in life (besides maybe her husband and that stupid mini horse, depending on what day you asked her) and did she really just peak with a measly City Council position when she had aspirations for civil service at the national level? She was in the beginning of yet another tirade about the Eagleton merger when Ben had taken her by the wrist and pushed her into the car, taking the 65 up to the lakeshore with little conversation and an excess of cringeworthy songs from nearly twenty years ago.

“I needed to get away for a bit,” Leslie admits. She’s quiet with contemplation then huffs. “I thought Indiana was a land-locked state for the longest time while growing up.”

Ben laughs. “Maybe don’t bring that up the next time that you run for office.”

“You’re so sure that I can run for office again?” She presses because the thought truly hadn’t crossed her mind. “People don’t even want me on City Council.”

“You can do anything, Leslie.” His eyebrows disappear behind his sunglasses, evidently taking offense with her lack of confidence. “You’re so much more than a City Council seat in a backwards town that doesn’t recognize that they just lost the greatest thing to ever happen to them.”

She shakes her head derisively. “Li’l Sebastian was the greatest, not me.”

“No, Leslie. You.”

There’s an underlying sense of finality in his tone. The sun sinks lower upon the horizon, the reflection on the water casting a glare directly into Leslie’s eyes. She turns to Ben and buries her face against his side.

“They’re going to ask me about the recall vote every time, you know.”

He remains still, stoic. “Yeah. Yeah, they are. But you can handle it.”

She releases a shaky breath. “But what if I can’t?”

“You can.” He says firmly.

“And if I just wanted to run away instead? If I just wanted to grab your hand and escape everything? The Bobby Newports and Jamms and Sweetums and Paunch Burgers?”

“Then I’d say okay. I’d follow you anywhere. But Leslie,” he sighs, “there are Bobby Newports and Jamms and Sweetums and Paunch Burgers everywhere. They just wear different clothing. Is that what you really want? To get away from Pawnee?”

“No,” she breathes. “It’s not what I want. I just… I don’t know what I want. I just want to be with you. That’s all that I’m really sure about right now.”

He grabs her hand. “Okay.”

The wind picks up again and it dawns on her: he’s like a breeze, forcing out the storm clouds of her mind with a warmth that surrounds and consumes her, threatening to whisk her away to better tomorrows if she’ll allow it.

“Should we get going?” She asks him.

“In a minute. I’m enjoying the view.”

She pulls away from him, blinks away the blurriness in her vision, and studies his eyes through the tinted lenses perched upon his nose. “But you’re not looking at the lake.”

His head tilts, lips drawing up into a smile.

Leslie giggles. “Oh.”


End file.
